1. Introduction
The present invention relates to the spooling, storage and dispensing of reels.
Drums, bobbins, spools and reels are used extensively for the storage of thread, wire, hose, carpet, wrapping sheets and other material and items that are wound on them. Generally speaking, the term "spooling" is used for the wrapping of material onto a drum or reel and the paying out is often called "de-reeling" or "dispensing". For simplicity in this specification the term "spooling" and "dispensing" will be used and the storage apparatus and goods will generally be hereinafter referred to respectively as "reels" and "wire". It should however, be appreciated that while the invention is described with particular reference to the unwinding of wire from a reel it is not limited to this.
There are many devices for spooling, storage and dispensing of reels which generally consist of some form of reel support, a reel rotation drive and speed variation means for altering the speed of rotation of the reel. Generally speaking this speed variation is carried out by some form of control unit on the reel rotation drive.
2. Field of the Invention
One of the major problems with wire reel spooling, storage and dispensing devices is that they very often break the wire when spooling, if the operation does not go completely smoothly. Similarly, when dispensing wire they tend to dispense too much wire, thus causing difficulties. The problem is that essentially in any unwinding operation it is necessary that only length of sufficient wire is pulled from the reel as is required or where the reel is independently driven that the reel be stopped immediately after a sufficient length of wire has been supplied. This unfortunately is not what happens in practice and there is not in known devices an instant response to demand. Indeed, in known devices this is often provided by the use of some form of brake which is unsatisfactory.